first time scratcher

[D.K]

Thanks Andy, a lot of blood sweat and more than a few beers went into the building of it.

[D.K]

I started trying to level the blank that I ripped down on the saw yesterday, I don't have a thicknesser so I saw online that someone had used a long flat beam wide enough to cover the fretboard and glue sandpaper to it to flatten the fretboard. I don't have any timber around that I would call dead straight but I work in the steel industry so this is what I came up with. It is heavy enough that it does most of the work for you as long as you can handle pushing it backwards and forwards, I won't need to go to the gym this week.

[Dedman]

I have a mint version of your HZ in the garage

[stan]

I use spirit levels and aluminium box section as leveling beams depending on the size i want - they seem to work well.
What i do want is a truly flat work surface as a reference, guide...

[Simon Barden]

...but I work in the steel industry so this is what I came up with. It is heavy enough that it does most of the work for you as long as you can handle pushing it backwards and forwards, I won't need to go to the gym this week.

[D.K]

Dedman, I have seen your hz in one of your posts, and only 100,000 ks what a gem.

Stan ,I thought about using the level but I wanted something wide enough to cover the whole blank on each pass and I don't have anything else I would trust to be dead flat.

Simon, nice one, you're absolutely right but once I get it to where I want it I can be certain that it is dead flat, don't mind the workout either.

[D.K]

There has been some success and some failure since I was last on. The fingerboard levelling was a success and has been put aside until I get around to ordering a truss rod and frets to start on the neck build. The body with the multiple timbers in it (which I was loving) started to show some small hairline cracks in the glue joints, I assume they will only get worse with temp fluctuations so it looks like that one, unfortunately will end up as good looking barbeque fuel.(I certainly hope the steak turns out better HaHa). while I was waiting to start again I still have the original plywood topped body that I built to play with, and since I am still waiting for my white binding to turn up, I thought I would bind this body in black, as I might end up finishing this one and painting it white with black hardware. Anyhow at the very least it will give me some practise binding, so far I have done the back and cut the channel for the top binding, there is one small spot that needs filling but I will wait until I have done the front before I worry about it.ATTACH=CONFIG]19070[/ATTACH]

[D.K]

Today I started gluing up another laminated body blank with a fresh bottle of glue and am hoping for a better result, I guess only time will tell. I am hoping to get the blank down to thickness tomorrow and cut to shape, I still don't have a thicknesser but I have built a sled for my router which should be able to get it very close to level, fingers crossed. Also wondering where everybody gets their trussrods from, Stewmac?, or is their somewhere else.

[D.K]

Started levelling the body blank with my bodgey router sled setup this morning and so far it seems to be working out okay,
and after a quick sand
now for the other side.

[vh2580]

Looking good DK. Truss rods etc two companies I've dealt with heaps. Www.realparts.com.au and www.luthierssupplies.com.au. Both in Qld and both good service and cheap shipping.